Shorts: London Stadium, Genius Sports, Edinburgh Rugby

London Stadium has appointed two sports industry leaders as non-executive directors as part of its new ownership structure.

The appointments follow the transfer of the former Olympic Stadium’s ownership from the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to Greater London Authority Holdings last year, which saw former LLDC Chief Executive, Lyn Garner, appointed as the stadium board’s chair.

Garner has recruited Mike Papadimitriou, former Chief Financial Officer of Formula E, and Stuart Cain, Chief Executive of Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Edgbaston, as non-executive directors of London Stadium LLP.

They join Phil Mead, former Chair of NEC Group Arenas and The Ticket Factory, who was previously a Board member of the E20 governance structure under LLDC.

The stadium hosts Premier League football via West Ham United, Major League Baseball, concerts, and athletics.

Lyn Garner, Chair, London Stadium, said, “I am delighted that we have recruited Mike and Stuart who have exceptional experience as successful leaders in the sports industry and will be part of a high calibre Board alongside Phil.

“London Stadium has established itself as the UK’s leading multi-use Stadium. During the last year we have hosted sold out concerts for global music stars, a weekend of Major League Baseball with more than 100,000 spectators and the world’s biggest one day athletics meet.

Genius Sports has launched BetVision for Soccer, an interactive in-game wagering product combining live streaming, real-time stats, and betting.

Following its launch for the NFL in 2023, the BetVision experience is now available for football through Genius Sports’ sportsbook partners.

The platform integrates live video streams with data overlays, allowing fans to interact with statistics, customise views, and access betting markets directly within the player, including a ‘Touch-To-Bet’ feature for individual player markets.

This partnership, combined with Genius Sports’ existing portfolio, makes BetVision available across over 120 football competitions, including French Ligue 1, Brasiliero Série A, Dutch Eredivisie, Turkish Süper Lig, and UEFA Champions League qualifiers.

The platform uses AI to add data-driven insights to the live broadcast, highlighting player names and offering personalised bet tracking. BetVision launched for the NFL in 2023, described as an immersive sports wagering product.

Sportsbooks including DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars Entertainment utilised its real-time insights and customisable viewing options.

Mark Locke, CEO of Genius Sports, said, “BetVision for Soccer defines a new era of interactive sports betting and fan engagement. This isn’t just a product, it’s a revolution in how fans watch, interact with, and enjoy the most popular sport in the world.

“By uniting immersive live streaming, real-time data, and seamless in-game betting into one platform, we’re delivering a next-level experience for our customers.”

Edinburgh Rugby has agreed a new community partnership with Edinburgh Trams.

The partnership will also see Edinburgh Trams become the official player sponsor of Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland stand-off, Ross Thompson.

Since its launch in 2014, the Edinburgh Trams service has played a vital role in connecting fans from across the city to the home of Scottish rugby, with the Murrayfield stop consistently ranking as one of the most used in Edinburgh, providing seamless access to Hive Stadium.

Becky Love, Marketing and Communications Manager at Edinburgh Trams, said, “This partnership represents the formalising of a relationship which has existed for more than a decade, and we’re proud to throw our sponsorship behind the club.

“The tram offers an easy and convenient way for our fellow fans to travel to Hive Stadium for the games, with trams running every seven minutes on game days.”